Page 9 of Masked Seduction

“Oh no,” I say. “I know that look. That’s your bad idea face.”

Claire’s smile spreads. “Jenna. Darling. I have the perfect idea.”

I sip cautiously. “Is it legal?”

“Define legal.” She angles the screen towards me.

The site is dark—literally. A deep obsidian background with red-velvet accents, moody lighting, and looping video of bodies writhing in silhouette.

The header reads:The 13th Floor.

Beneath it, a tagline:Your desires. Your rules.

There’s a form for requesting access. A section called “Dress Code and Decorum” with words likeconsensual voyeurismandperformance room etiquette.Tabs labeled “Theme Nights” and “Private Chambers.” The whole thing feels like someone designed a nightclub inside a very well-funded porn studio.

My lips thin.

Claire grins. “So?”

“So?”

She nudges me. “Don’t you dare act like you’re not curious.”

“I’m…” I trail off. “Okay, yeah, I am. But Claire, Abram is planning on buying a sex club.” God, the words still feel weird to say. “What if this one is it?”

She raises a brow. “And wouldn’t that be a story.”

“That would be a disaster.”

She holds up her glass. “Or fate.”

I stare at the screen again, my pulse ticking up like I’ve had more wine than I actually have. The video loops back to a couple in a velvet chair, half-clothed and very into each other. My skin tingles with heat.

I think of Abram. And suddenly, I don’t feel so tipsy anymore. Just alive.

I narrow my eyes at the screen, suspicious. “This isn’t a brothel, right?”

Claire snorts into her wine. “No, babe. It’s a club. There’s sex, sure, but nobody’s getting paid. No hookers, no johns, just people having fun.”

I eye her sideways. “You’ve been?”

She hesitates for half a second too long, then nods slowly. “Yeah.”

“What? When?”

She shrugs, swirling her wine like this is just casual, every day talk. “Last year. I went with Marcus.”

Marcus. Her ex with the tattoos and the motorcycle and emotionally unavailable.

“What the hell, Claire? Why didn’t you tell me?”

She grins, biting her lip. “Didn’t know if you’d be cool with it.”

I laugh. “You must think I am, since you’re inviting me to go now.”

She gives me that wicked grin again. “You are. You just don’t know it yet.”

I give her a skeptical look. “And what exactly didyoudo at the 13th Floor?”